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Federal government moves to repeal two anti-union bills: C-377 and C-525

Today the federal government tabled legislation to repeal bills C-377 and C-525.

These bills were designed to weaken unions by forcing redundant and unreasonable financial reporting, and by making it more difficult for Canadians in federally-regulated workplaces to join a union.

“The PSAC’s position all along has been that Bill C-377 was unconstitutional and a violation of privacy rights. We are pleased that the Liberal government has moved quickly to repeal Bills C-377 and C-525.”

“Both bills were seriously flawed, introduced without consultation with unions or employers and detrimental to the rights of workers,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President.

Bill C-377

Bill C-377 was an unnecessary, discriminatory law to impose onerous and absurdly detailed reporting and requirements on unions.

It was pushed through Parliament by the Harper Conservatives despite widespread opposition from many groups, including constitutional and privacy experts, the NHL Players Association, provinces, Conservative and Liberal senators, Canada’s privacy commissioner, the Canadian Bar Association and the insurance and mutual fund industry.

Bill C-525

Bill C-525 was a private Members’s Bill, supported by the Harper Conservatives. It was designed to make it harder for workers to unionize and easier for unions to be decertified. The labour law changes were made without any evidence of a problem with the previous system of union certification.